Kit Cutters Completion Guide

Nick Ziroli Giant-Scale Short Kit

100" Supermarine Spitfire

A museum-quality elliptical-wing warbird — and a complete, honest list of everything else you'll need to finish it.

Buy the Kit — $456.00 See Everything You Need

Wingspan

100 in

Length

81.5 in

Wing Area

1,575 sq in

Scale

1/4.4

Weight (AUW)

30–34 lb

Power

62–85cc gas

Skill

Advanced

A Legend, Faithfully Cut

The Supermarine Spitfire is the most iconic British fighter of WWII — its elliptical wing an aerodynamic necessity that became a symbol of resilience. Nick Ziroli's giant-scale design captures that shape with the structural integrity to fly it well.

Kit Cutters supplies the precision laser-cut wood. This guide covers the rest: the honest, model-specific list of what you'll buy to complete it, with real sources for every part.

100-inch Ziroli Supermarine Spitfire balsa RC warbird in flight

What's in the Box?

Included in the Short Kit

Precision laser-cut wood parts only — ribs, formers, shaped parts
Elliptical wing rib set
Lite-ply and aircraft-ply reinforcement parts

⬇ Download Pack List (PDF)

Required Separately

Plans / building instructions (buy from Ziroli — copyright)
Spars, sheeting, and stick balsa
Engine, cowl, canopy, landing gear, covering, finishing, electronics
Spinner, fuel tank, prop, servos, hardware

Everything Else You Need to Complete This Kit

Model-specific, with real sources. Where Ziroli sells a part directly, that's noted; where there's a choice (like gas vs. electric power), both paths are laid out.

Power System

This kit was designed in the gas era. Below is Ziroli's original gas specification, plus a researched, builder-validated electric option for those who prefer it.

GAS — designer spec

Engine	62–85cc gas. DA-50R, DA-60, DA-70, or DA-85 w/ electronic ignition	Desert Aircraft
Fuel tank	32 oz Dubro (gas conversion)	Ziroli
Spinner	5.5" Tru-Turn	Tru-Turn
Engine offset	1° right, 1° down	Per plan

ELECTRIC — researched alternative

Motor	~50cc-class outrunner, 190–230 KV (e.g. Great Planes RimFire 50cc). Proven on 30–37 lb giant-scale airframes.	AMain Hobbies / HobbyTown
Battery	12S LiPo (2× 6S in series). Two high-capacity packs ~5000 mAh+, high C-rating.	Specialty RC retailer
ESC	150–160A with generous margin	Specialty RC retailer
Prop	22×8 to 22×12 (3- or 4-blade)	Falcon

Heads up — Cooling matters: builders report ~135A wide-open, settling to ~100A in flight. The Spitfire's close cowl runs hot at this power — plan cooling inlets/outlets carefully. Confirm your full setup in eCalc before buying.

Cowl

Designer sells

Spitfire fiberglass cowl	15⅜" long · 5.5" front opening · 10.75" rear height · 6.5" rear width	Ziroli
Fiberglass belly scoop	Required companion part	Ziroli

Canopy

Designer sells

Spitfire Mk I–V canopy	Bubble canopy, vac-formed PET-G	Ziroli
Canopy rail set (warbirds)		Ziroli

Landing Gear

Pneumatic retracts

Main retracts	Sierra Giant Scale Spitfire main retracts (pneumatic)	Ziroli
Tailwheel	Sierra Giant Scale Spitfire tailwheel	Ziroli
Air kit	Robart 157VRX w/ tank & quick disconnects	Ziroli
Retract control valve	Ultra Precision UP-8	Ziroli
Main wheels	5.5" Robart Spitfire Tuff Treads (3/4/5-spoke)	Robart
Tail wheel	2.5"	Robart

Alternate main retract source: Geartech replacement set for Robart — also sold by Ziroli.

Servos

6+ channels

Flaps	2× 120+ oz-in, metal gear, ball bearing	Builder preference
Ailerons	2× 90+ oz-in, ball bearing	Builder preference
Elevators	2× 90+ oz-in, ball bearing	Builder preference
Rudder	1× 120+ oz-in, ball bearing	Builder preference
Gear / Throttle	1× 50 oz-in each (throttle BB)	Builder preference

Covering & Finishing

Airframe	1 oz fiberglass cloth + ZAP Z-poxy finishing resin	Chief Aircraft / specialty
Elevator & rudder	Iron-on cloth (Solartex)	Specialty RC retailer

Scale Accessories

All from Ziroli

Scale accessory set	Gear doors, wing radiators, trim actuators, rearview mirror	Ziroli
ABS radiators	Water & oil	Ziroli
Scale exhaust manifold	Cast resin pair, mounts inside cowl	Ziroli
Pilot figure	WWII British RAF or American USAAF	Ziroli

Hardware

Wing tube	1.25" × 30" aluminum tube and sleeve set	Ziroli
Control horns	2× ½", 4× ¾"	Specialty RC retailer
Hinges	14× Dubro #257 LG flat + 15× Robart hinge points	Dubro / Robart

Detailed Specifications

Wingspan	100 in (2540 mm)
Fuselage length	81.5 in (2070 mm)
Wing area	1,575 sq in
Scale	1/4.4 (2.7" = 1 ft)
Weight (AUW)	30–34 lb
Wing loading	44–48 oz/sq ft
Fuselage style	Bubble canopy (Mk I–V)
CG	5" back from wing leading edge at fuselage
Min. radio channels	6+

Specs above follow Ziroli's plans and website, which we treat as authoritative over any third-party listing.

Nick Ziroli

Pioneer of giant-scale RC aviation, known for meticulous scale accuracy and structural integrity. Ziroli sells nearly every model-specific accessory for this kit directly.

(631) 467-4765 · Plans must be purchased separately from Ziroli (copyright).

Get Ziroli Plans

The Build Journey

Build time for a giant-scale warbird varies enormously with a builder's experience, how much scale detail they add, and how much shop time they get. The figures below are ranges drawn from builder reports, not a fixed estimate — treat them as a rough sense of scope, not a promise.

Where a short kit saves you time

Ziroli's plans include full-size templates so you can cut every wood part by hand before construction even begins. That tracing-and-cutting stage is precisely what a Kit Cutters short kit removes: your parts arrive precision laser-cut and ready to build. Builders consistently describe parts-cutting as one of the most tedious and error-prone stages of a scratch build — the place a short kit pays for itself.

Plans only (hand-cut)

You trace and cut every rib, former, and shaped part from raw sheet stock using the plan templates, then build.

more time, lower part cost

Short kit (laser-cut)

Parts arrive cut and labeled. You skip straight to assembly — and avoid cutting errors that can compound later.

less time, cleaner fit

The four stages of assembly

Stage 1: Fuselage Assembly

Building the aircraft's main body from the cut parts.

Align and pin main formers
Install keel / crutch system
Plank the fuselage curves
Fit the engine box / motor mount

Stage 2: Wing Assembly

Typically the most involved stage — precision matters on the elliptical wing.

Build the main spar box
Install elliptical wing ribs
Fit retract mounts
Shape the elliptical tips

Stage 3: Tail Assembly

Vertical and horizontal tail components.

Build the horizontal stab
Build elevator surfaces
Assemble fin and rudder
Final-shape tail surfaces

Stage 4: Systems & Final Assembly

Putting it together and prepping for flight.

Install gear & air plumbing
Final engine/motor fitment
Radio gear installation
Verify CG / balance

Frequently Asked Questions

The short kit is laser-cut wood parts only. To complete it you'll also need the Ziroli plans, spars and sheeting, an engine or electric power system, cowl, canopy, landing gear, servos, covering, and finishing supplies. The "Everything Else You Need" section above lists each item with a source.

Yes. The design is originally gas (62–85cc), but builders fly this class on a large ~50cc-equivalent outrunner around 190–230 KV on 12S LiPo with a 22" prop. Watch cooling — the close cowl runs hot at the needed power. See the Power System section for a researched setup.

Plans are purchased separately from Nick Ziroli at ziroligiantscaleplans.com (they're copyrighted, so Kit Cutters can't include them). Kit Cutters supplies the laser-cut wood; Ziroli supplies the plans and most of the model-specific accessories like the cowl, canopy, and scale details.

A short kit removes the entire parts-cutting stage. Ziroli's plans include full-size templates to trace and cut every rib and former from raw stock — tedious, error-prone work. With a short kit those parts arrive precision laser-cut and labeled, so you start at assembly with a cleaner, more accurate fit.

Not for a first scale build. The compound fuselage curves and elliptical wing make it more demanding than a trainer-class model, so it rewards prior building experience. That said, builders who've completed a couple of larger kits generally have the skills to take it on.

Ziroli specifies 62–85cc gas. Popular choices include the Desert Aircraft DA-50R, DA-60, DA-70, and DA-85 with electronic ignition. Match the engine to your finished weight (30–34 lb) and confirm it clears the cowl before finalizing the mount.

No. The short kit is wood parts only. The fiberglass cowl, belly scoop, and vac-formed canopy are sold separately by Ziroli and are listed with links in the accessory section above. They're model-specific, so order the Spitfire Mk I–V versions.

It has a 100" wingspan, 81.5" length, and 1,575 sq in of wing area at 1/4.4 scale. Typical all-up weight is 30–34 lb with a wing loading of 44–48 oz/sq ft. These figures come from Ziroli's published specification for the Mk I–V plan.

Ready to Build Your Spitfire?

Buy the 100" Spitfire Kit — $456.00

Prices and availability are subject to change — verify on each vendor's site before ordering. Kit Cutters supplies laser-cut wood parts only; plans and accessories are sold by their respective vendors.

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